A/N: Lavender field, sunset version :D
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BLOOP!
The only sound she heard after they came out of the portal. She opened her mouth to protest, but quickly closed it after hitting a blinding light. Her eyes instantly formed a line from squinting and raised her arm to block it. She blinked a few times as her vision adjusted, slowly registering the view in front of them.
Blue sky spread as far her eyes could reach, sheltering a distant town and a vast open-field of lavenders. The sea of clouds settled on the far east, resting on the edges of the floating landmass. She closed her hanging jaw and bathed her eyes with the open view, but Darcy suddenly drew her away from the portal.
She whirled and saw the others appeared from the glowing spiral of words sticking by the wall, suddenly becoming aware of their surroundings. Compared to the alley, the palace's hallway was silent as a ghost, lingering with the sweet and soothing fragrance of lavender. The hallway of their mansion was nothing compared to this, but even though it was bigger in size, the fact that it both felt empty didn't daze her.
It was wider and had higher ceilings. Yet, unlike the home she was used to, there was no sign of roses or any flower. Crystal clear chandeliers hung on the ceiling painted in gold, while the white walls were adorned with antique paintings and decorations, from old sculptures to armors and weapons, all resting on the olive green carpet.
After the portal disappeared, a deep voice greeted them.
"It's so rare of you to visit, little brother."
The group spun and was welcomed by a man with the same hair color as the night, wearing the perfect match of black and gold armor. His amused golden eyes traveled from one soul to another until finally pinning them on Zoe.
And his smile faded. "I see that you have brought a... valuable guest."
The group bend on their knee and paid the King their respect. Zoe was tempted to do the same, but Darcy stopped her. His eyes were gleaming with pride and fury as he bore his gaze on his older brother as if killing him for the thousandth time.
The King's attention slid from Zoe to the knight. "General Collosul."
"Yes, your Highness?" His armor creaked in protest as he bowed further.
"Kindly tell the servants to prepare Arlette for the event, then escort our visitors to the garden for some tea. My brother and I need to talk."
"As you wi--"
"No!" Darcy interjected. "Arlette and Zoe are coming with us. They have the right to hear our conversation."
"I see," King Spero raised his chin and tucked his hands on his back. "I'm trying to lessen the people who would witness your humiliation, but if you insist, then so be it."
The sheer coldness in their words made Zoe wonder what kind of history they shared. The deep trench between these brothers was so obvious that it reminded her of Siegfrid, her eldest brother. She never knew why he kept giving her the cold shoulder, as though she wronged him somewhere along her boring life.
Sometimes, she even pondered on the possibility that she was an orphan, after all, she was the only redhead in the family. The stories she heard about their distant redhead relatives just seemed so fictitious, yet she chose it for the best not to dwell on that thought.
"We'll see you guys in the garden," Nox said as he approached the two. "Try not to do anything you'll regret."
"I'll keep that in mind," Darcy replied, tugging his lips into a smirk.
"You better," Krista said, walking past them.
Nox patted him on the back and regarded Zoe with a nod before following the sorceress. While Hubert sent them a silent nod, followed by Ty who showed them a salute. The two watched the group walked behind General Collosul, slowly dwindling in sight and finally disappearing as they took a right turn.
"Are you okay?" Darcy asked in a low voice as they trudged down the hall, keeping a good distance from the King and Arlette.
Even though the calming scent of lavenders was around them, unease kept boiling inside Zoe. One of the most frightening things to do was to face the truth and she had no idea what it might be, but the thought of being ripped off of her title as a Heroine filled her with so many emotions. After she had witnessed the impossible, going back to her boring life was just too hard to accept.
"I can't say for sure, but you owe me a lot of explanation," Zoe answered, not batting him an eye. All her attention was on Arlette, the person who claimed to be her.
Or was it the other way around?
***
Dedicated to DespicableKnight
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Fantasy|Book#1|Chronicles of Mamoria| A story that was forgotten by history. A secret kept for hundreds of millennia. A dark heart sheltered by the light. A young prince who gave up his pride to protect his people. And a teenage girl who was destined to lo...
